Citizen Science

Why become a citizen scientist?

I have always had a fascination for insects and spiders. My interest goes with me everywhere whether visiting a friend's garden or a foreign country. Watching the bugs in a wildlife garden is a joy and there are lots of scientists out there who would love to know what you have in your garden. The internet has allowed scientists that are involved in conservation biology to vastly increase the amount of data they receive and you can be a part of that. Your data will enable scientists to keep track of declines and increases in certain species, which ultimately should lead to better conservation management strategies. Without this data, a government can conveniently ignore the warnings of a biologist and quietly let a species become extinct. While identification may seem difficult at first, you will soon become the expert in your area. If you are a recorder of a particular group of organisms and would like your website listed below, please contact the author by clicking on the logo (top left).

Citizen scientist website

Frog watch

Good for reporting frog observations in Ontario

Ontario turtle tally

Report turtle observations in Ontario.

Bumblebee watch

Bumblebees are the easiest group of bees to identify and there is no need to catch them to make the i.d.

E-butterfly

Another group of insects that can be easily identified merely by observation.

Monarch Larva Monitoring Project;

Monitors the distribution of monarch larvae in order to better understand how their distributions vary year by year.

Plantwatch

Monitors flowering times in flowers across Canada in order to investigate climate change.

FLAP Mapper

This organisation is dedicated to reducing fatal collisions between birds and buildings. They need to gather evidence on the number of fatal bird collisions. If a bird hits your house or your workplace, report it here.